Radiator cap assembly



ALL. SWANK mvmon GAP ASSEMBLY Aug. 29, 1939.

,Filed July 16, 1954 I INVEINTORI KT f/YJOZ wan/f ATTO NEYS PatentedAug. 29, 1939 v UNITED STATES PATENT. '"omca special ad ministratrix ofsaid Arthur L' Swank, deceased, assignor to Eaton Mannfacturing Company,Cleveland, Ohio, a obrporaa tion of Ohio Application July 16, 1934,Serlal No. "135,197

4 Claims.

One oi! the "essential objects of the invention is to provide anassembly 01' this type wherein the control means referred to not onlynormally prevents the escape of fluid from the radiator and is operablewhen a predetermined pressure is reached within the radiator to permitsuch escape, but also includes means operable when a vacuum isformed inthe radiator to permit the entrance therein of air from the atmosphereto equalize the internal pressure with the external pressure and thusprevent the radiator structure from-collapsing or rupturing by externalpressure.

Another object is to provide an assembly wherein the radiator cap andcontrol means constitute a self-contained portable unit which may bereadily connected to or disconnected from the filler neck of theradiator.

Another object is to provide an assembly 20. wherein the control meansis wholly automatic and includes a main valve that is so constructedthat it is capable of compensating for any inaccuracies in constructionof its seat:

Another object is to provide an assembly wherein the control meansincludes an auxiliary valve that is carried by,' but is operableindependently of the main valve.

Another object is to provide an, assembly wherein the seat for the mainvalve cooperates with a part on the flller neck to seal the latter.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of thisinvention will be made. more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing,zwherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a radiator capassembly embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;-

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a group perspective view of the radiator filler neck, cageand cap;

Figure 5 is a group perspective of the valve structure of my assembly.

Referring now to the drawing, I is the top wall of the upper header of aradiator, and 2 is a cupshaped flller neck having its base 3 restingupon and secured to said top wall I and provided with 8. dependinginternal annular flangeor shoulder 4 of substantially L cross sectionthat is disposed within an opening 5 in said top wall and carries asuitable gasket 5.

I is the radiator cap' threadedly engaging the neck 2 and providedadjacent its periphery with a depending annular flange 8. 9 is a hollowmember or cage sleeved upon and depending from the annular flange 8 andprovided at its upper and lower ends with laterally projecting flangesIll 5 and II, respectively. Preferably the flanges H) at the upper endof the cage are initially inclined outwardly as illustrated in Figure 4and are of such length that they will engage the undercut or recess I2in the cap 1 when flattened out as in 10 Figure 1, and will effectivelyhold the cage 9 against the flange B of the cap. The flange II at thelower end of the cage is annular in configuration for engagement withthe gasket 6 and is provided at its inner edge with a relatively short15 upstanding annular seat portion l3. As shown in the drawing, the neckand cap members 2 and i and the hollow valve cage 9 are all formed assheet metal parts.

id is a main valve controlling the escape of 20 fluid from the radiatorand normally'held upon the upstanding seat l3 of the cage by a suitablecoil spring l5, while it is an auxiliary valve controlling the passageof air from the atmosphere inwardly through a suitable opening ll in the25 main valve and normally held against the underside of said main valveabout said opening by a coil spring it. Preferably the main valve l4comprises a relatively thick disk 20 of rubber or other suitableflexible material and a cap M of sheet 30 metal, suitable openings 22being provided in the cap at the periphery thereof for the reception ofthe rubber during the vulcanizing operation to insure a proper unionbetween the parts.- The lower end of the coil spring l5 seats on thiscap 35 it about an upstanding annular flange 23 thereof, while theupper' end of said spring bears against the underside ofthe cap i insidethe annular flange 8. The auxiliary valve It is preferably a metal diskhaving a peripheral flange 24 engage- 40 able with the underside of thevalve l4 and having a. centrally disposed lug 25 to which the lower endof coil spring is is secured. The upper end of the spring 19 isconnected to and suspended from the base 26 of an inverted substanti- 45ally U-shaped supporting bracket 21 having oppositely-extending curvedleg portions 28 and 29 respectively seated'uponthe valve it within theannular flange 23.

Thus, when the partsare assembled, the cap 50 I, cage 9, valves l4 andI6, and springs l5 and I9 constitute a self-contained unit and as suchmay be moved relative to the flller neck 2. When the cap, 1 is mountedupon the neck 2, the annular flange ll of the cage seats upon the gasket6 in the flange l of the neck and prevents the passage at "this point offluid to or from the radiator. Normally the main valve l4 seats upon theupstanding seat portion l3 of the cage and prevents the escape of fluidfrom the radiator,

'while the auxiliary valve l6 seats against the underside of the mainvalve I about the opening I! therein and prevents the ingress of airfrom the atmosphere. However, when the pressure within the radiatorshould for any reason exceed a predetermined point beyond the limits ofshould be formed within the radiator and the pressure therein shouldfall below atmospheric pressure, then the auxiliary valve 16 will beunseated so that air from the atmosphere may pass through the opening I!into the radiator to equalize the internal pressure with the externalpressure and thus prevent collapsing or rupturing of the radiator byexternal pressure.

In the manufacture of units of they type described, it sometimes happensthat the upstanding seat portions such as' l3 for the main valves areinaccurately formed and that proper seating of the valve is notobtained. Therefore, to compensate for any inaccuracies and to insurethe proper seating referred to, I have formed the rubher part 20 of themain valve with a peripheral slot or groove which enables the lowerportion M of said valve to flex freely and conform properly to theupstanding seat l3 regardless of whether it is accurately formed or notwhen moved into engagement therewith. Thus, a perfect seal will befiected when the valve I4 is closed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a radiator cap assembly, a filler neck having an inwardlyextending annular portion with a depressed portion at the innerperiphery thereof, a valve seat located in said depressed portion,

vent means for said neck above said annular portion, a cap for closingsaid neck provided with a depending flange having a screw threadedengagement withthe upper portion of said neck, said cap also having anannular depressed portion forming an annular recess outside thereof anda central recess within the same, a valve cage depending from said caphaving an outwardly extending flange engaging said annular recess, thelower end of said cage having an inwardly extending flange adapted toengage the seat in the depressed portion of said neck when said cap isfully engaged with said neck but removed from said seat before said capis disengaged from said neck, a valve in said cage seated on theinwardly extending flange thereof, a spring for yieldably holding saidvalve to its seat, the upper end of said spring being located in thecentral recess in said cap, said valve having a central aperturetherein, an inwardly opening valve for closing the aperture of theaforesaid valve, and v a spring for yieldably holding sai inwardlyopening valve to its seat.

2. In a radiator closure device the combination 0! a flller neck havingan internal annular formedof sheet metal and connected with said capbody to extend into the neck and sealingly engage said shoulder when thecap body is lockedon the neck, said cage having an opening in its innerend and a valve seat around such opening, a valve in the cage adapted tosealingly engage said seat, and a spring in the cage normally press--ing the valve against said seat.

3. In a radiator closure device the combinatio of a flller neck havingan internal annular shoulder spaced inwardly from its outer end, a ventand overflow pipe connected with the neck outwardly of said shoulder, acap body adapted to be applied to the outer end of the neck to close thesame, said cap body and neck having cooperating portions thereon forreleasably locking the same together, a depending hollow cage formed ofsheet metal and connected with said cap body to extend into the neck andsealingly engage said shoulder when the cap body is locked on the neck,said cage having an opening in its inner end and a valve seat aroundsuch opening, a pressure relief valve in the. cage adapted to sealinglyengage said seat, a'spring in the cage normally holding the pressurerelief valve against said seat, said pressure relief valve having anopening therethrough, and a vacuum reliei' valve adapted. to seatagainst the pressure relief valve to close the opening of the latter,and a spring normally holding the vacuum relief valve seated.' v

4. A closure device comprising cap and neck members having cooperatingportions providing a detachable connection between such members, saidneck having an internal annular shoulder spaced inwardly from theconnecting portion thereof, a vent and overflow pipe connected with theneck outwardly of said shoulder, an annular gasket in the neck memberand supported by said annular shoulder, a depending hollow cage formedof sheet metal and connected with said cap member to extend into theneck and being of a length to sealingly engage said gasket when the capmember is locked on the neck member, said sheet metal cage having atransverse wall at its inner end with an opening therein and withannular surfaces on opposite sides thereof surrounding such opening, oneof said surfaces adapting the cage for said sealing engagement with thegasket and the other of said surfaces providing the cage with aninternal valve seat, a valve in the cage adapted to sealingly engagesaid seat. and a spring in the cage normally pressing the valve againstsaid seat.

ARTHUR L. SWANK.

